Apparatus for handling finely divided solid materials



Sept. 2, 1952 'c. E. KLEIBER 2,609,248

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIALS Filed March 13, 1948 2 SHEETS5I-1EET 1 Reaczor i 2 L--'----- Reqenerator 0 c. E; KLEIBER Sept. 2, 1952 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIALS Filed March 13, 1948 2 SHEETSSi-IEET 2 Patented Sept. 2, 1952 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FINELY YDIIVIDED SOLID MATERIALS.

Carl E. Kleiber, Irvington, N. J.,= assault ration of Delaware Standard OilDevelopment Company, a corpo- Application March 13, 1948,'Serial No. 14,764

The present invention relates to an apparatus for handlingfinely divided solid materials. More particularly theninvention relates to improve ments in means for introducing such materials into. a flowing stream of a fluid material for,

transportation. in, a treating or. handling system, or for initiating a treating step in such system. It is an object of the invention to provide a means'for accomplishing the most efficient dispersionfofthe finely divided solid materialin the flowing stream of fluid, avoiding undue accumulation of thesolid'material at the point of introduction. It is a further'object of the in- Vention is to provide a methodand means for utilizing the kinetic energy, or inertia, of a moving mass of finely dividedsolid material, to facili-f tate dispersion of such material in a, flowing stream of a fluid material. I

In the service contemplated, as for example in the catalytic cracking of hydrocarbons, large quantities of finely divided solid catalyst materials are required to be handled; .It' is customary to handle these materials-in a fluidized form by the injection of gaseous or liquid materials into thereinhaving a density of'from'aboutl to 1% 1 lbs. per cubic foot. Under such conditions, introduction of tlie'powdered solid material may be accomplished-bygravity from a vertical stand}- pipe or conduit 'opening'freel'y' into a conduit of larger volume through whichis'pass'ed a stream of a fluid material.

It has been found that when operating in such manner the inertia of the mass of solid material issuing from the open end of the stand-pipe into the larger transfer conduit tends w pass through the fluid stream without being completely dispersed therein, and toform a compacted deposit on the'lower inside surface of the transferconduit. -Thismay result in erratic operation of the entire system, and definitely reduces the efliciency of the operation in many ways. Settling of the powdered solid in the transfer conduit may cause excessive vibration of the piping system; localized 4. Claims. (01. so2 36) erosion, due to undesirable deflection of the fluid stream by the settle' material; pressure surges in the: conduit system and related equipment, and due to the insulation effect of the settled catalyst, to the development of temperature differentials in the-conduit elements with consequent unequalized stresses produced within and between elements. These undesirable conditions result in a general and extensive impairment of overall operating efllciency, and directly influence both operating and construction costs. It is a specific object of the invention to avoid such conditions by providing means to accomplish more uniform and more eflicient dispersion of the finely divided solid materials in the stream of fluid into which such materials are introduced.

.The invention and its objects may be more fully understood. from. the following description when it is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l-is a schematic showing of the invention. in the environment of interconnected reactor and regeneratoriequipment of a catalytic cracking system.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofa portion of the apparatus shown-in Fig. 1, with'parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another form of the invention.

i Referring more particularly to the drawings, in the apparatus illustrated by Fig. 1, the numeral I designates .a rea'ctor unitand the numeral H a ,regenerator unit, both of which are-parts of a system for cracking hydrocarbons in the-presence of a finely divided or powdered solid catalyst material.

1 Contaminated or spent catalyst material may beawithdrawn ffrom the reactor l as by lineordraw-off conduit i in which are disposed dual control :valves 3 and 4. The conduit 2 usually isthenature of a stand-pipe, filled with adense mass ofat least partiallyfluidizedi finely divided material, "which discharges into transfer line or conduit 5' by'way of an injector connection 6. A fluid material, such as the air which may be utilized in the regeneration step, may be introduced through the injector'li'as by conduit 1, rearwardly or-ups'tream from the inlet of conduit 5. This fluid material maybe supplied by pump-' ing, if a liquid, or from a compressor or blower;

if a gas or vapor. The fluid material so introduced is :utilizedto reduce the density of the mass of powdered material which is discharged from the'conduit 2 and dispersed in the fiuid materiaL'and such dispersion with reduction in 3 density, plus the energy of the flowing stream of fluid moves the fluidized solid material through conduit 6 into the regenerator ll. Likewise the regenerated finely divided solid material may be withdrawn from regenerator II as by the line or draw-off conduit I2, in which are disposed dual control valves l3 and [4, and returned to the reactor lby way of a transfer conduit IS. The conduit l2, also in the nature of a stand-pipe, is normally filled with a dense column of solid mate'- rial and discharges into the conduit l by way of an injector element or connection It. A fluid ma 1 terial, ordinarily the reactant material, is fed" through the element l6 as by conduit It has been found that the inertialof the massof finely divided solid material moving through the conduit or stand-pipes 2 or l2 and discharging into the elements 6 and I6, tends to resist the dispersing effect of the stream of fluid fromconduits 1 and I! to the extent that the solid material; is; deposited onthe lower inside surface oil the: connections: C and l 6,, andthe, conduits Bland-115:; To overcome this undesirable conditionga'ccordin'gtto thcr'prese'nt' invention axdistribe ut'or. element, 8; is; disposed in' the injectors 8 and-r I'B: atwthe: point of injection'of the .solid materialetoiintercept the flovwof such material from the.1conduits 2: and I2: intothe injectors- 6 and lfizrespectively utilizing the inertia of the high density-masszto changethe direction of flow, andt0) aid in dispersion in the stream of fluidmaterial; V

The; element. 8 isgshownainFig; 2 inthe vform ofcpa longitudinal section ofiacylinder disposedlaterall'yv. of'; an injector: 6 substantiallyv .tangential relation to the upstreamiwall: of a1conduit' 2,; with the ends an'dupper: edge portions con'formedito the: shape; of: the injectorv 6' Where they are: in contact; and;in: substantially .fluid tight relation thereto, curvaturei of the element 8i iSi greater thantth'at of; the: conduit or standf-pipe 2 ,1 and; the; center on: curvature is: disposed eccentricallywithLref erence to the stand-pipe 2 and injector .linIn such manner, the lower edge: of the element 8 iszcdisposed laterally of, the injectorfiin .a. plane; below the center line of the injector 6 andxconduit 5.: A- substantially flat 1ip'8a'may be provided on the lower edge of the element 8, extending downstream in aplane substantially parallel-with one-;laterally through thBFCBI'ltBl' IineLof: injector 6; and-:in; substantiallwtangential rrelatiomto ele-.

ment 8: It is preferredvthatthe;lipllutextend somewhat? beyondvtherentrancenor. th astand-rpipe.

2-into j-theinj ector connection 6:

In the structure illustrated by Fig. 3, thedis:-

tributor' element 8;, is :in; the approximatexform ofqa quarter: section avertically through"; aiihollow,

substantiallyspheroidalbody. This section'pro vides -a distributor element having; U -shaped;edge portions insubstantially right; angulararelation secured by; one; edge. portion; to the upperwall ofthe connection 6 ol 6- -so as. to substantially enclosethe end of .conduit 3 or IZ-atitsupstream; entrance inte connection 6x or I61 Inthisformthe'li'p 8a is. a flat strip deformedto producea generally U '-shaped member of which asubstantial portion lies below a plane laterally through the center line rof.'the:connection 6 or [6. Other formsuof distributor elements may be-used as for;

example a segment of i an annulus of semi-circular-crosssection, or an element approximating;

the. conformation of a section ofa sphere.

Inoperation, a finely divided solid materialis introduced into the injector 6' or [6 as a high:

Preferably, the" radius of' density stream from the inlet opening of conduit 2 or l2, while a fluid material is supplied through line I or IT. The stream of solid material entering the injector connections 6 or I6 impinges upon the distributor element 8, and the inertia or kinetic energy of the moving stream forcibly deflects the mass of solid particles in the direction of desired flow. At the same time, the moving stream of fluid from the line I or H passes into the injector 6 or IE, where its velocity is increased by the constriction of the deflector element; The mass of solid material leaving the conduit 2" or l2 tends to retain the shape thereof as would a stream of liquid. Upon contact with the-distributor element, this conformation of the stream of" solid material is changed thereby and substantially spread over a greater surface in the enlarged injector connection, somewhat dispersing the mass of solid materials before contact with the flowing stream of fluid from the line l or" ll'e Thecombination of high fluid velocity at the'deflector lip with directional injection of the ma'ss'of finely divided solid material results in rapid and more uniform dispersion of the solidmaterial in the moving stream of fluid; and minimizes settling'of the solid materials at the inject-ion point.

The" invention-hasbeen" set forth with par-' ti'cular reference to its application in connection with the" injection and transfer of catalyst ma'-' terials' from a reactor unit to a regenerator unit, and vice versa, in a catalytic cracking system only for the purpose of'illustration. It is equally" as applicablet'o" the handling of similar materialsv in any, process or" apparatus employing' the fluidized solidstechnique. including ore reduction;

cement making; et cetera, and it is not'intended that the scope of the inventionbe limited otherwi'sethan' bythe appended'claims.

" I claimz l r I I 1'. An apparatus for discharging'ahigh densitymass oli'fi nelydivided solid material into a flowing tream of a fluid inateriaL. comprisinga'conv duit'; injector .member having an outlet and an inlet saidlmember for a-fluid material, a conduit [element for finely divided, solid'vmaterial having. a dischargeend portion opening. directly into said injectormemben andsecured thereto 1 in fluid-tight relation intermediate" the outlet thereof and said inlet for fluid material,- said;

portion having arr-upstream edge and a downstream edge relative to'fluid flowthrough said inj ector member, adistributor; element internally. of 'said injector member, at-leastonetedge-portion -o'fsaidrelement conformed: to the inner wall surface of- .s a id injector-member and secured v stream. edge of' said conduit; element dischargeend portion shielding saidend portion and con stricting fluid flowthrough the injector member.

zgApparat us accord-ingnto claim inqwhich said'dist'rib'utor element is a longitudinal section-- are cylinder disposed laterally of: the injectormember, the upperandlend" edge portions there of'conformingto and'secured in fluid tight relation. to thesidewalls of saidinjector elements-- 3'; apparatusaccording to claim 2, in which theifr'ee edge portionot thedistributor element REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 5 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Newton July 8, 1884 Boschke July 7, 1885 Rosenthal May 10, 1904 White Feb. 10, 1914 Ayling Jan. 18, 1927 Thomas et al Feb. 15, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 1'7, 1924 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING A HIGH DENSITY MASS OF FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL INTO A FLOWING STREAM OF A FLUID MATERIAL, COMPRISING A CONDUIT INJECTOR MEMBER HAVING AN OUTLET AND AN INLET TO SAID MEMBER FOR A FLUID MATERIAL, A CONDUIT ELEMENT FOR FINELY DIVIDED SOLID MATERIAL HAVING A DISCHARGE END PORTION OPENING DIRECTLY INTO SAID INJECTOR MEMBER AND SECURED THERETO IN FLUID-TIGHT RELATION INTERMEDIATE THE OUTLET THEREOF AND SAID INLET FOR FLUID MATERIAL, SAID PORTION HAVING AN UPSTREAM EDGE AND A DOWNSTREAM EDGE RELATIVE TO FLUID FLOW THROUGH SAID INJECTOR MEMBER, A DISTRIBUTOR ELEMENT INTERNALLY OF SAID INJECTOR MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE EDGE POR- 